Gotham Knights- Episode I
by Andrew Wallace
Summary: A legend starts as the Batman begins a war on crime while the Joker starts killing Gotham’s finest for rare items.


BATMAN: GOTHAM KNIGHTS  
  
Part One: War on Crime  
  
Int. Alley  
  
Silent. Suddenly a bullet fires through the air and there is a scream. Another bullet is fired and the camera pans down to the ground. Roses drop on the ground.  
  
REPORTER (OS) Gotham City was shocked this morning by the news of the murder of Dr Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha. The famous millionaire couple were murdered by a hoodlum. The only eyewitness was their son, Bruce. The murder has forced all of their fortune onto the young boy.  
  
The camera fades.  
  
Fade to: Ext. House-Night  
  
Fourteen years have passed. Two robbers are removing a tv from a house as quick as they can. One man places it down, unable to handle the weight.  
  
MAN Give me a sec, dude. I'm like, really tired.  
  
DUDE Man, the cops will be here soon. We need to skedaddle!  
  
MAN Just give me one friggin' moment! (Beat) Did you just hear something?  
  
Seconds later, a BATARANG swings through the air and knocks over the man. Dude runs to tackle the attacker but realises his attacker is in the form of a large, black BAT. The BATMAN picks up Dude by his collar and flings into a wall. Dude collapses but the man is up again. He pulls out a pocket knife and swings it at Batman. Batman knocks him over but Dude gets up and points a gun at Batman. Batman looks with anger and rage.  
  
BATMAN You dare. pull a gun. on me.  
  
Batman knocks Dude flying into a brick wall, causing him to collapse unconscious. Batman sighs and turns away as sirens ring through the air.  
  
Int. Batcave-Night  
  
Batman arrives in his secret lair, THE BATCAVE, in his mostly finished car known as the BATMOBILE. He sighs and removes his mask as his partner, BARBARA GORDON, walks down the staircase to meet him.  
  
BARBARA Hard night, I heard. (Beat) Your headset told all.  
  
Batman removes his mask, revealing the face of BRUCE WAYNE, industrialist and millionaire twenty-year-old.  
  
BRUCE This punk pulled a gun on me. It brought back nightmares.  
  
BARBARA Of your parents' death. Don't you think. maybe your taking this too far? I mean, way too soon. You have money, you can pay for more police officers.  
  
BRUCE No. The police can't handle all the situations that lie around this city. Even your own father, Captain Gordon, has stated the Gotham police force are helpless a many times.  
  
BARBARA You think you're different?  
  
BRUCE I know how to scare the crooks. It is well known that criminals are cowards, superstitious. Well I am using that knowledge to beat them.  
  
BARBARA Beat them or help them?  
  
BRUCE Barbara, what are you trying to tell me?  
  
BARBARA You are giving them an excuse, Bruce. An excuse to get away with crimes they are committing. I just think. you should think this over.  
  
BRUCE Never. I've started my war on crime. It's not ending so early. I vowed to my parents that I would avenge their deaths, make sure that criminals become endangered species. It is my duty. It is in memory of my parents. (Beat) There won't be another word on the subject, from now.  
  
Barbara turns away and takes a seat.  
  
BARBARA Oh Bruce, we've got a situation. There have been three robberies at the hands of some of Gotham's biggest socialites. Diamonds, gold, jewellery, all stolen. The owners are killed using a deadly gas that gives them deadly grins. I guess you want to find out what's going on.  
  
BRUCE Of course. Not tonight though, it's already 3am. Tomorrow night, I will start work on this. Who's the officer in charge of the case?  
  
BARBARA My father, Captain Jim Gordon.  
  
Int. House-Night  
  
CAPTAIN JAMES W GORDON peers around the house. Yet another murder has been committed, this one killing politician HENRY CLARIDGE. Gordon looks around as a slight gas still fills the air. SARAH ESSEN, Gordon's partner, stands next to him.  
  
GORDON Claridge was a good man. He didn't deserve this, at all. What item is missing?  
  
ESSEN A rare rock known as the Kalahari Diamond. Worth over 75,000 dollars.  
  
GORDON Christ. I'm going to need a death certificate.  
  
ESSEN Yes, sir.  
  
Gordon watches Essen disappear. He also turns away and doesn't know Batman sneaking in. He looks around and takes photos of a corpse off- camera. He sniffs the air and notices the gas still fuming. He collects it in a jar and takes it with him.  
  
Int. Batcave-Day  
  
Light peers through the cave slightly and Bruce sits next to Barbara as she tests the gas. She removes her protection goggles and turns to Bruce.  
  
BRUCE Why wasn't I poisoned by the gas?  
  
BARBARA Well you see, whoever released this gas didn't want you dead. Only Claridge. It is a binary gas, meaning that it is only lethal if mixed with the proper gases.  
  
BRUCE So the murderer must have already dosed Claridge with the other gases so he would die when this binary gas was released. The gas also releases a sort of side effect that makes the victim's face strain into a ghastly grin.  
  
BARBARA Exactly. Whoever this madman is, he has a way to get to them. Is there any pattern to the robberies?  
  
BRUCE Yes, the fact that he goes to some of the city council's most popular councilmen.  
  
BARBARA Then that would be where he gased his victims before. At the city council. You know, these faces remind of. no, it's impossible. He's in Arkham still.  
  
BRUCE Who?  
  
BARBARA His name is the Joker. Psychotic, doesn't know anything about his past. The faces look like his, as he was horribly disfigured somehow.  
  
Bruce ponders for a moment.  
  
BRUCE Check your crime database. See if he's escaped.  
  
BARBARA I doubt it.  
  
BRUCE Just check.  
  
Barbara turns with some reluctance and disappears for a moment. She goes on a computer and types. Barbara returns seconds later.  
  
BARBARA Damn it, Bruce, you were right. The Joker escaped two weeks ago.  
  
BRUCE I think his next target is Otto Drexel.  
  
BARBARA Drexel is the council's treasurer. That would be one large sum if he gets killed.  
  
BRUCE Have Alfred get me two more batarangs and a gas mask. I may need them against this Joker.  
  
Barbara nods and disappears quickly.  
  
Int. Drexel Residence-Night  
  
OTTO DREXEL sits with Captain Gordon, very nervous. Gordon pours him a drink from water especially made by Gordon himself.  
  
DREXEL Captain, are you sure I'm safe?  
  
GORDON My men have circled the building, Mr Drexel. Nobody will kill you.  
  
DREXEL I do hope you are right, Captain Gordon. I shall be quite unpleased to find myself-  
  
Drexel starts laughing hysterically. The mad fit causes him to knock their cups off the table. Gordon looks around for the murderer but instead is hit in the head with an old clock. THE JOKER unveils himself and laughs hysterically.  
  
JOKER A nice gift, Otto baby! Shall cherish it for a long time. Ha, ha!  
  
The Joker runs off but not before bowing to his 'audience'. Gordon shakes himself and notices the ghastly grin on Drexel's face.  
  
GORDON Too late.  
  
VOICE Never too late, Captain Gordon.  
  
Gordon swings around to see the Batman, appearing from the darkness. Gordon pulls his gun on the man.  
  
GORDON You're behind this?  
  
BATMAN Ever heard of a man known as the Joker? Maybe that helps.  
  
GORDON The Joker is doing this? But how did he get-  
  
BATMAN Binary gases, captain. That's what killed Drexel. Two gases added to him at different times. When the second gas was sprayed on him, he died. Just for your information, the Joker has been in this building for four hours. Your work here has been useless.  
  
GORDON How can I trust you?  
  
BATMAN I'm here to fight crime, not start it.  
  
Batman retrieves a sort of transmitter.  
  
BATMAN (CONT'D) According to my tracker, the Joker has stopped at a nearby warehouse, the Lincoln Corp warehouse. Round your men up and meet me there in fifteen minutes.  
  
GORDON Okay, I'll do it. W-who are you?  
  
Batman turns to the window.  
  
BATMAN Call me Batman.  
  
Smoke fills the area Batman is in and seconds later he is gone. Gordon reaches for his walkie-talkie.  
  
GORDON This is Gordon. I need back-up at the Lincoln Corp warehouse. Socialite thief and murderer found. We've also got a name: the Joker. That's right. Get down there immediately. We will meet you there.  
  
Int. Warehouse-Night  
  
Batman enters the warehouse and glances around. It is quite silent inside. He slowly moves around, cautious of his surroundings. Batman notices a small red light in the distance. He looks at it and frowns. The transmitter has been placed on a cardboard box. There is a smack to the head and Batman is on the ground. The Joker cackles evilly.  
  
JOKER Some days, you just can't get away with a crime!  
  
BATMAN The cops are on their way here, Joker. You're done for.  
  
JOKER Well, well. the costumed freak knows my name. You have one?  
  
BATMAN You can call me Batman, your new worst enemy.  
  
JOKER Yeah, worst when it comes to fighting. I mean, come on! My great, great grandmother could do better than you and she's dead. Ha, ha!  
  
Batman kicks forward and knocks the Joker off-balance. He throws a punch at Batman and knocks him into cardboard boxes.  
  
JOKER (CONT'D) That wasn't very nice, was it Guano man? Well I'll soon teach you some respect.  
  
The Joker pulls his gun up at Batman but before he can fire, glass smashes and a woman dressed in black appears with a small mask to cover her eyes. Her name is BATGIRL.  
  
JOKER (CONT'D) What is it with costumed people these days? Am I the only genuine freak?  
  
BATGIRL Shut up, asshole.  
  
Batgirl kicks the Joker in the mouth, knocking him backwards. Before he can retrieve his gun, Batman throws a batarangs that gets caught on the Joker's sleeve. He struggles to remove it but it becomes too late. Batman picks him up by his collar.  
  
BATMAN You're going back to Arkham.  
  
JOKER I'm so scared of you.  
  
The Joker spits on him and Batman punches him into a brick wall. Sirens ring and the two crime-fighters disappear into the shadows as Gordon and his men appear.  
  
GORDON Arrest the Joker on account of murder and theft.  
  
Gordon looks around for Batman but can't find him until in the distance. he sees him. Gordon smiles and waves to him. Batman and Batgirl stand there, with slight smiles before disappearing.  
  
Int. Batcave-Night  
  
Bruce and Barbara watch the door close. ALFRED (OS) is heard heading back into Wayne Manor. Bruce turns to Barbara.  
  
BRUCE Thanks for the help tonight. I really needed it.  
  
BARBARA It's ok. You know. you were right. It is important to fight crime in Gotham City. They need us.  
  
BRUCE You don't know how right you are.  
  
The two tap their glasses of DR PEPPER together and we.  
  
Fade to: Int. Arkham Asylum- Night  
  
The Joker is seated, resting by himself. His old psychiatrist, DR HARLEEN QUINZEL, is visiting him with a guard. He smiles when he sees her.  
  
JOKER Quinzel, baby, long time no see!  
  
QUINZEL Mr Joker, it is nice to see you again. (To guard) You can leave us now, Gus.  
  
The guard leaves and the Joker becomes slightly serious.  
  
JOKER Dr Quinzel. I have a problem. I miss my mommy!  
  
QUINZEL Yes. let's talk about your past.  
  
JOKER Who cares about the past? The future is near, my sweet. Soon Gotham City will be overthrown by half an evil. but that half an evil has more darkness and scum than me, baby. Gotham City is near to the end.  
  
The camera pans in on the JOKER, which his nice big smile. 


End file.
